Stay
by Devoted2Gilmoregirls
Summary: What if Rory didn't go straight to bed after the car accident with Jess? What if she went to find Jess? What happens if/when she does find him? Read this story to find out! Reviews are wonderful things. Literati.
1. Chapter 1

"Stay"

Chapter 1

Lorelai and Rory were in the car, on their way home from Hartford Memorial Hospital. Neither of them were speaking. Lorelai was seemingly calm, cool, and collected. Inside, however, she was still fuming at Luke and Jess. She looked worriedly over at Rory every few seconds.

Rory was leaning her head against the car window, cradling her newly casted wrist. She was worried sick about Jess. She had no idea where he'd gone after the ambulance came, or how he was. She knew one thing for sure. She needed to find him. Tonight. She was dead-set in her decision. Nothing was going to stop her.

The mother and daughter pulled into the driveway. Lorelai got out of the car, went around to the passenger side, and helped Rory maneuver herself out of the car, acting as the hand that was temporarily out of use.

"Alright sweets. We're both pretty wiped out. Whataya say we get to bed, and call it a night?"

Rory didn't move from the yard. She was looking into the bushes that surrounded the right side of the house. Unbeknownst to her mother, Jess sometimes hid there, waiting for her to go out to Lane's or to the bookstore.

"Rory? What's the matter, babe?"

Without breaking eye contact from the bushes, Rory replied, "I need to find him."

"Find who? Jess?"

"Yes. I need to find him."

Lorelai knew her daughter cared for the health and safety of others, and she admired that about her. But right now, she was perplexed at the sheer force with which Rory spoke about the guy that had just wrecked her car and her wrist.

"Hun, I'm sure Luke's taking care of it. You need to rest. Let's go ins-"

"No! I need to find him now. What if Luke sends him back to New York? He can't leave!" She added softly, "I need him here."

It was true. She needed him. She was shocked at how much she needed him, and she knew that if someone questioned her on that, she wouldn't be able to answer. Rory started to walk away, down the dirt driveway, towards the town square. She felt her mom's gentle grasp on her good wrist.

"Rory, why does it matter to you where he is?"

"Because he's my friend. What, you want me to stop caring about my friends?"

"No, I don't. That's not the point. He is _not_ your friend. I mean, look at you."

"Look at what?"

"There's a cast on your arm because of him. You have a totaled car because of him. You're treating your wonderful boyfriend who cherishes the ground you step upon like dirt because of him."

"I do not treat Dean like dirt! I know he doesn't like Jess. I know you don't like Jess. I know that nobody in this whole stupid town likes Jess. But I do, okay? I do. And if Dean can't understand that, then he can go get himself another girlfriend to cherish."

Lorelai was completely astonished. So astonished was she that she couldn't even respond to her daughter's words.

Rory pulled her arm out of her mother's grasp, and said, "No matter what you say or do and no matter how much you threaten with that 'Mom card' of yours, I am going to find Jess. Don't wait up."

And she walked away. Lorelai desperately wanted to run after her, to try and stop her from entering the realm of more pain. Pain Rory didn't need. Pain Lorelai didn't need to see her daughter in. However, despite this desperation, Lorelai's gut told her that Rory needed to do this.

Shaking her head, Lorelai turned and went inside the house. She plopped down on the couch and let out a sigh of exasperation. She put her head in her hands. It felt so heavy all of a sudden. Despite the exhaustion of the evening's events, she was going to stay up until Rory got home.


	2. Chapter 2

"Stay"

Chapter 2

Rory walked absentmindedly. Her feet knew where to take her. 'Thank God,' she thought, 'because my mind is elsewhere. Man, those hospital drugs made me dopey.' She just hoped he was there, at the most private place in all of Stars Hollow. The place where they had eaten lunch and talked incessantly about books. The place where they left each other notes, using quotes from their favorite works of literature in order to get their point across. If she walked by, and saw a cigarette butt or two, she knew he had been there.

After 20 minutes, Rory arrived at her destination...The Bridge. She saw Jess' silhouetted figure, hunched over, his hair a whirlwind of black spikes. An exhalation of white cigarette smoke was emitted from his lips. She walked tentatively over to him, and sat down.

"Hey."

He glanced over at her in response. Rory could practically feel the guilt radiating off of him.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

He looked at the blue cast on her fragile arm and winced. It didn't go unnoticed by the doe-eyed girl.

"It's a hairline fracture on my wrist. It doesn't even hurt, I swear."

Jess didn't want to talk. He felt the tears welling up in his eyes. He didn't want her to see him this way, at his weakest.

"Jess, talk to me."

He flicked his cigarette butt into the lake, took a couple of deep breaths, and opened his mouth to speak.

"I-I'm...so sorry Rory."

The tears were evident in his voice. Rory immediately took hold of his hand, and leaned into him. Jess was not used to this kind of affection. He stiffened for several seconds, but eventually relaxed and took in the comfort he had yearned for all his life.

"It's okay. I'm fine. You're fine. We're both fine. You don't have anything to feel guilty about."

"I got you in the hospital Rory."

"You didn't mean to though. None of this was intentional. You know that. I most definitely know that."

"You don't...hate me?"

"Why would I hate you?"

"Because I messed up, again. Every single time I mess up, someone gets hurt and I'm left to blame. No one has ever tried to pick me up when I was down. If anything, they just stomped all over me. That's how it's always been. And then you come along, and...I don't know, you're just...perfect."

Rory had heard Jess speak possibly more than anyone else in the world. However, she had never heard him speak deeper words than the ones he had just uttered. She had always wondered about his upbringing, but she never dared ask him about it. She didn't want to be responsible for opening wounds he'd wanted to heal for a long time.

"Aw Jess," she spoke sympathetically, "I'm so sorry that you've had to feel that way your whole life. You don't deserve that. You _really_ don't deserve that." She paused. "I'm not so perfect," she added softly.

They sat quietly for about 40 minutes, holding hands, her head on his shoulder, his head resting on top of hers, basking in the comfort of each other's company.


	3. Chapter 3

"Stay"

Chapter 3

Jess noticed that Rory's breathing had evened out. He had a silent debate as to whether or not he should wake her up.

'I can't wake her up. She's all doped out on medication. She must be so tired. But, if I don't wake her up, then I have to bring her home and face Lorelai. And, believe me, I do _not _want to experience the wrath of Lorelai. But, what if I wake her up, and tell her that she has to walk home by herself? That wouldn't be very nice of me. And that might also make Lorelai even more mad at me. Shit.'

He looked at Rory's peaceful, sleeping form. He didn't have the heart to wake her up. Which meant that he would probably have to carry her.

'That won't be a problem, I guess. She only weighs about 10 ounces.'

He very gingerly got up, always giving her something to lean on so as not to disturb her. He put one arm under her knees, the other around her neck and shoulders, and picked her up. She didn't even stir. He carried her all the way home, whispering softly to her.

Lorelai was a mess. She was fidgety, pacing back and forth, biting her nails, tugging on her clothes. She must have looked out the window a thousand times. And each time, a slight tug of worry pulled at her heartstrings when her daughter wasn't there. She was almost lightheaded and nauseous.

'God, where could she have gone? I mean, I know she went to find Jess. But did she? What if the hospital medication got to her head and she passed out? I need to find her. But what if she's with Jess? I don't know what to do. It's been almost 2 hours. Where is she? I swear to God, if Jess hurt her any more tonight...well, he's just going to have to look forward to me ripping him limb or limb. Or removing his appendages one by one with dull, rusty...um, hedgeclippers. Yeah, hedgeclippers. Oh my God, I'm going insane. I'm becoming an axe murderer. No, Lorelai, get ahold of yourself. If something was wrong with Rory, you would get that feeling. You would know if something was wrong. Breathe Lorelai. In and out. Inhale, exhale. Come on Lorelai, exhale.'

The babbling inside Lorelai's head was interrupted by someone knocking on the door. Upon opening the door, she was greeted by Jess, with a sleeping Rory in his arms.

"Well, hello there."

"Uh, hey Lore-Ms. Gilm-uh, can we come in?"

"Mhm. Is she alright?"

"We were talking about...things, and she fell asleep."

Nodding her head in response, she motioned for Jess to come inside and led him to Rory's room. He placed Rory down on her bed very gently, and brushed her hair out of her face. He turned around and saw Lorelai standing there with her arms crossed, studying him up and down with narrowed eyes.

He walked out of Rory's room and into the kitchen. Lorelai followed him, and so began an awkward staring contest. Both of them were waiting for the other to speak.

Jess broke the silence, saying, "I should probably get back to the diner."

"Oh, you're going to have to go farther than that," Lorelai muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me?" Jess retorted.

"I'll be so surprised if Luke doesn't tell you to pack your bags after what you did tonight."

"You think I would get Rory into a car accident intentionally?"

"It's obvious that you're capable of it."

"I made sure she was okay-"

"And then you disappeared. Did I see you pacing back and forth in that waiting room?"

"Whatever. I'm not going anywhere. You have to accept that."

"Oh, do I now? You actually want to stay here? The entire town is going to be throwing daggers at you, and you want to stay? Not that I object to daggers being thrown at you, but seriously?"

"Yes. I want to stay."

"Why?"

"Because it'll break Rory's heart if I leave. And you really don't want me to break anything else, do you?"

Lorelai thought back to her previous disagreement with her daughter..._'Dean can find himself another girlfriend to cherish.' _It all made sense to her now. Rory didn't want to be with Dean anymore. Jess had taken control of her interest in guys.

"No, I don't want you to break anything else of my daughter's. But if you do, I swear to God..."

Jess nodded his head once in understanding.

"I should get back. Can you tell Rory that I'll call her tomorrow?"

He waited for a response, and was satisfied when he received a nod from Lorelai.

Jess proceeded to walk out of the house, taking care to close the door softly behind him. He zipped up his leather jacket, and walked briskly back to Luke's, his head bowed, hands in his pockets. Once he got to the diner, Jess hoped that he wouldn't have to incur another wrath of Luke. His hopes were justified when he went upstairs and found Luke asleep. Jess quickly and quietly changed into his pajamas, which consisted of a t-shirt and sweat pants, and layed down in his bed. He stared at the ceiling for a long time, his mind on one thing...Rory.


	4. Chapter 4

"Stay"

****Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I was on a writing frenzy because I was off from school. But now, I am back in school. So, I might not update all too often. But I promise I won't abandon this story. Thank you so much for all of your kind reviews. They mean so much. I'm sorry if the chapters are shorter than you would like. I personally don't look at the length of a chapter. I write until I'm happy with the content of the chapter. Enjoy!****

Chapter 4

Lorelai wandered into the living room after Jess left. She picked up some take-out containers and stacked them, but didn't throw them out. She fixed the throw pillows on the couch, flipped around the channels on the television before realizing that there was nothing good on at 1:00 in the morning.

'Wait, 1:00 in the morning? Oh my God, it's late!'

The frazzled Lorelai went upstairs, brushed her teeth quickly, and didn't bother changing into her pajamas. She layed in bed, and found herself staring at the ceiling.

'What am I doing? I can't sleep up here while Rory is downstairs. What if she needs something and I'm not there?'

She shot out of bed and rushed downstairs to Rory's room. She very quietly moved Rory's comforter to the side of her bed and sat down. Lorelai held her daughter's un-casted right hand and stroked her hair lovingly. She eventually fell into a troubled, restless sleep, but was jerked awake every time Rory re-adjusted her sleep position. All through the night, Lorelai never let go of her daughter's hand.

Rory woke up late the next morning. She was puzzled at first, for she knew she was in her room, but she didn't remember coming to bed. The last thing she remembered was sitting on the bridge with Jess.

'I must have fallen asleep on the bridge, which means that Jess must have carried me home, which means that he must have talked to Mom...oh God.'

It was then that Rory felt her mother's grip on her hand. It brought back the memory of her 12 year old self with the chicken pox. Rory had had socks on her hands and Lorelai had held her hands every night for over a week so as not to scratch her angelic face.

Rory sighed. "We've come a long way, haven't we Mom?" she wondered aloud.

Lorelai jerked awake. "Rory? Do you need anything? I'm right here."

Rory laughed at her mother's over-protectiveness. She knew she meant well, but sometimes she couldn't help but laugh.

"Did you sleep okay, hun?"

"Yeah. I'm still a little dopey though. Those hospital drugs sure do pack a punch." She paused. "Um, did Jess bring me home last night?" she asked as casually as possible.

"Yeah. He did."

"Did you talk?"

"Yes."

"You're keeping your answers short. Years of experience have taught me that that means that something didn't go well."

"You know me too well."

"What happened?"

"Nothing...much. He told me that he wasn't going to leave Stars Hollow because it would break your heart. Is that true?"

Rory blushed and averted her eyes away.

"I would be hurt if he left. I don't know if my heart would be broken, but yeah, it would hurt me if he left."

Lorelai looked at her daughter questioningly. "Why?"

"Because...because he's my friend. I mean, he's more than my friend. It's like we fit, you know? We have so much in common, and yeah, he has a bad side, but that doesn't matter to me. He's nice and sweet in his own way. He cares about me."

Lorelai nodded her head in understanding. One more thing was on her mind that she had to get out. "But what about Dean?"

Rory thought about that for a couple of minutes.

'What about Dean? Yes, he's really nice and he loves me. But, he's so clingy and needy and whiny. He doesn't respect my own personal space. He doesn't understand how independent I can be at times. He loves me, but he still doesn't get me. He should by now.'

Rory replied, "I-I don't love Dean anymore. Whatever fire we had has gone out, and I don't think he's realized it yet."

"Are you going to break up with him?"

Rory hesitated. "Probably. I'll wait until he gets back from his grandmother's in Chicago."

"Okay. Well, you know I'll support whatever you choose to do."

"Yeah, I do. Hey, uh, Mom?"

"Hey, uh, Rory?"

"I'm sorry for everything I put you through last night. You didn't need all that. I just feel so guilty for worrying you so much. You don't deserve that, and I'm just so so-"

"Rory. It's okay. I'm just glad you're okay. That's all I care about."

"Okay."

"Okay."

Both girls let out sighs of relief. Their sanctuary of silence was disturbed by the sound of Rory's stomach grumbling, which was immediately followed by the sound of Lorelai's stomach growling.

"You feel like some breakfast babe?"

"Sure. What should we eat?"

"How about I cook you up some of my famous Eggo waffles?"

Rory squealed in excitement. "You're gonna make waffles?"

"Anything for you, my darling."

"Well, don't I feel important?"

"You _are_ important. You'd kick Bush right out of his top spot on the list of the Most Important People in the World."

"There's such a thing?"

"In this house, there is."

"Cool! So, as the Most Important Person in the World, I command you to make those waffles," Rory said sarcastically.

"Yes, your Highness," Lorelai retorted.

Lorelai sauntered out of the room and into the kitchen. Rory lay her head back on the pillows and smiled at her mother's wittiness. It was then that she looked at her cast, and noticed something scrawled in familiar handwriting. Her smile grew when she read the inscription:

_Dodger was here._


	5. Chapter 5

"Stay"

Chapter 5

Jess tossed and turned throughout the night. He kept re-living the crash; he would the screech of the tires, Rory's scream, the collision of the car into the bench and pole, everything. He woke up in a cold sweat many times during the night, becoming more frustrated as the night went on.

He was also stressing because he didn't know what he was going to wake up to in the morning. Luke was beyond furious at him, and Jess didn't know what that would entail. He knew that whatever Luke did, it wouldn't come close to the damage of Liz's ex-boyfriends. But he didn't want to think about that.

Sure enough, the next morning, Jess was rudely awakened by Luke pouring a pitcher of ice water onto him.

"What the hell Luke?"

"Don't talk to me that way. I want you up, showered, dressed, and ready to go in 30 minutes. And change the sheets while you're at it."

Jess squinted his eyes open and looked at the digital clock. It read 5:00 AM. He groaned in exasperation.

"I don't want any complaining from you. No smartmouthing at all whatsoever."

"Yes Uncle Luke," Jess said sarcastically.

Luke strode over to him, and shoved a shaking finger in Jess's face, but didn't say anything. He walked out of the apartment, slamming the door behind him.

Jess merely rolled his eyes.

'If he thinks he's gonna be all "army seargeant" with me, he's got something else coming.'

To Luke's surprise, Jess was downstairs in 20 minutes.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Get everything ready for the breakfast crowd. I'll be upstairs."

"Wait, I have to do everything by myself. But, that's a 2 person job."

"Not this morning, it isn't."

"Unbelievable. I'm never going to be able to concentrate through an entire school day if I have to do all this beforehand."

"What makes you think you're going to school today?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Get to work; I'll be upstairs."

Jess was nervous now. Why wouldn't he be going to school today? After all, Luke was Mr. You-Will-Graduate-From-High-School-or-Else. He hoped that by getting to work, it would take his mind off of the worry that was penetrating through him.

It didn't. He finished everything he was commanded to do by Luke, and continued to work throughout the morning. He looked at the clock, which read 7:45, the time that Lorelai and Rory usually came into the diner. He wasn't really expecting them to show up, considering Rory's current condition. But the hope was still inside. It was dim, but it was there.

About 20 minutes later, Jess took off his apron and shouted into the kitchen, "I'm going to school."

Luke hurried out, and said, "Oh no, you're not."

"Then what am I doing? Am I working here all day?" Jess asked.

"I'll tell you what you're doing. You are going to go upstairs, pack your necessities, and I will drive you to the bus station, where you will get on a bus to New York and back to your Mom's."

Jess was struck dumb. It took a few minutes for him to burst out, "I am not leaving Stars Hollow!"

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not, and you can't make me go."

"Oh yes I can. I can do whatever the hell I want with you because you're my responsibility."

"Am I now? You know what's gonna happen if you send me back to Liz's? She's going to send me right back here again. And you know it. Now, I am _not_ going back to New York. I will however, stay here, wake up to cold water being thrown on me every morning at 5:00 AM, work here, go to school, work until closing, and complete all my schoolwork. Ya happy?"

Luke shook his head. He was determined not to give in. He had to stay at the top. He wasn't going to let his 17 year old punk of a nephew change his mind.

"No. You are going back to New York this morning. End of story."

Shaking his head, Jess walked out of the diner, slamming the door shut behind him. He set off at a brisk pace to see the one person who he knew would listen to him.

He needed to talk to Rory.

Once Jess got to her house, he tentatively peeked in through her bedroom window. The sight he saw made him ache for the comfort he'd begged for throughout his life: a mother sitting by her daughter's bedside, holding her hand and stroking her hair.

He wished his mother had sat with him all night when he was sick, or injured. But no. That wasn't how Liz was. Liz would leave him home alone, go out bar-hopping, and come back either drunk, stoned, or both, usually with a guy in the same state. And he was left to care for himself. That was always it had always been. He didn't want to go back to that. Not for anything.

Jess didn't want to disturb Lorelai and Rory. Besides, it was only 8 in the morning. So, he hid out in the bushes next to their driveway, took a paperback out of his back pocket, and read through the entire morning.

****Okay, that's the end of Chapter 5. I hope you enjoyed it. I will have Chapter 6 up as soon as possible. I've already started writing it. Your reviews motivate me (hint hint).****


	6. Chapter 6

"Stay"

Chapter 6

Jess figured that after 2 hours of reading in the bushes that Rory would be awake. He quietly walked back up to the door and peeked in through her bedroom window again. He saw Lorelai and Rory talking animatedly. Rory laughed, and his heart fluttered in excitement.

'God, she has such an intoxicating laugh," he thought.

Jess stepped towards the front door, took a deep breath, and knocked. He heard the incessant chatter of the mother and daughter stop, and Lorelai came to the door.

"Oh, Jess. Hi."

"Hi, uh..."

"Lorelai," she reassured him.

"Hi Lorelai. Can I come in?"

"Um, sure."

She stepped aside and let him in. She was curious as to why Jess was there, but figured he was coming to check up on Rory, as he had said he would do the night before.

Lorelai and Jess were standing in the foyer, awkwardly.

"Soooo, what do you want?" Lorelai asked.

Jess replied, "I need to talk to Rory. Is that ok?"

"Let's ask the girl, shall we?"

"Look, I'll understand if you don't trust me yet. But, I just need to talk to her. I promised you last night that I wouldn't hurt her in any way ever again, remember?"

"Yes, I remember. I'm crazy for saying this, but even though all of this only happened last night, I believe you when you say that you would never hurt Rory again."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I don't know, there's just something different, something better I should say, about your attitude that just sounds really sincere."

"Thanks."

Lorelai motioned for Jess to follow her, and he obeyed.

"Hey, uh, Jess is here to see you."

Rory automatically sat up straighter in bed at the sight of him, and smoothed down her messy hair.

Lorelai continued, "Ok so you two can talk. I'll be upstairs. Holler if you need anything."

And they were alone. Rory and Jess, the literature lovers of mass intelligence.

"Hey."

"Hey back."

"Luke wants to send me back to New York."

Jess saw the tears spring into Rory's eyes, and lowered his head in shame.

"N-no," she whimpered.

"I don't know what to do. If I go back to Luke's, he'll tell me to pack my bags and see that I'm shipped back. But the town is so small that even if I don't go back, he'll find me somewhere."

Scalding hot tears of frustration burned his eyes. He would not let them fall.

"I just-," he continued, "I don't know what to do. It just seems like I don't have much of a choice."

"You can't leave. I need you here," Rory cried.

Jess sat on the edge of her bed, and held her good hand. Their fingers intertwined.

"I know Rory. The only reason I would stay in this stupid town would be for you."

"Maybe I can talk to Luke, or Mom can talk to him. Anything to make you stay."

Jess merely shrugged, still struggling to hold in the tears.

"Don't give in, Jess. Think of me, okay?"

"I am _always_ thinking of you. I'm determined to stay. I can't go back there."

"Where, Luke's?"

"No, to Liz's."

"Was it, uh, bad?"

Jess's chin was quivering so badly that he couldn't speak. So he just nodded. Rory noticed his emotions, and her heart broke for him. She wrapped her arms around him.

"Aw, Jess. It's okay. Just let out whatever it is."

And with that, Jess leaned into her embrace and cried. He cried because of the memories of living with Liz; he cried because of the comfort Rory was providing him with at this moment; he cried because of his frustration with Luke; he just cried. He cried, and Rory cried for him.

As Lorelai made her way downstairs, she thought she would hear Rory and Jess talking. She did not expect to hear Rory and Jess crying. She tiptoed to her daughter's bedroom and stuck her head in the door. She saw Rory and Jess hugging each other, but more in the sense of one friend comforting the other. In this case, it seemed that they were comforting each other.

Rory looked up from Jess' shoulder, and saw her mom standing in the doorway with her 'concerned face' on.

"What's wrong?" Lorelai mouthed to Rory.

"Later," Rory mouthed back. Lorelai nodded understandingly and pointed to the living room, indicating that she would be there if Rory and/or Jess needed anything.

Jess eventually leaned back, out of Rory's embrace and wiped his tear-stained face on his shirt sleeve.

"Are you feeling better at all?" Rory asked him tenderly.

"Yeah, a little."

"Jess?"

"What?"

"Why are you so dead-set against going back to your mom's?"

"I told you, because I don't want to leave you."

"I know. It just seemed like...more than that. I don't know, you seemed...scared."

Jess shook his head slightly, and looked away from her.

"Nah, it's nothing."

"We should talk to my mom about this."

"Rory, no."

"She can help. She can talk to Luke. I've never known anyone else besides her who could ever get through to Luke like she can."

Jess sighed, "Fine. Do you want me to go get her?"

"Unnecessary." Rory picked up the annoying bell her mother had provided her with and rang it.

"Stop the noise!" Lorelai's voice emanated from the living room.

Rory just rang the bell harder.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Just stop!"

Rory laughed, and laughed harder when Lorelai's pouty face came into view.

"What do you need, your Majesty?"

"To talk to you actually. We, Jess and I, need you to talk to Luke for us."

"Oh, about what? Last night's events?"

"Not really."

"Is it a result of last night's events?"

"Basically yes."

"Do I need to ask 18 more of these?"

Rory rolled her eyes at her mother's wit.

"Just sit down, and we'll explain everything to you."

Once Lorelai got comfortable, Rory took hold of Jess' hand, and began to speak.

"Ok, so..."

****Haha, you'll find out the rest next chapter. Keep reviewing. They motivate me. And motivation brings on the chapters. Which means more frequent updates.****


	7. Chapter 7

"Stay"

Chapter 7

"Luke wants to send Jess back to New York, and Jess _really_ doesn't want to go back."

"But, that doesn't even make any sense!"

"What doesn't, going back to New York, or Jess not wanting to go back?"

"The 'going back to New York' idea. He's just going to get sent right back here!"

"I know. That's what Jess said."

"Well, when does he want you to go back?" Lorelai directed at Jess.

"Today. He wants me to pack my bags, and assist me to the bus station," Jess replied miserably.

"Ugh! He's just upset. He says such crazy, stupid things when he's mad. It annoys the hell out of me!"

"He sounded pretty dead-set in this decision. He wouldn't let me go to school this morning. And he's been all 'You have to graduate from high school while you're under my roof' since I got to town."

"Oh God!" Lorelai exclaimed in a frustrated tone.

"I know!" Rory and Jess said simultaneously.

"And I'm guessing you don't want to go back, right?" Lorelai asked Jess.

"Hell no! I never want to go back there again. I'd be perfectly content with my life if I never saw my mother again."

"Don't say that. Believe me, I went through that phase."

"Yeah, but your mom's got...money. My mom lives in a hole-in-the-wall apartment, has a different boyfriend every week, doesn't give a shit about me. It's just...not good over there."

"Does Luke know about that?"

"Yeah, but you know Luke. He refuses to believe anything until something or someone comes along and shoves proof in his face."

"Oh, I know how he can be," Lorelai replied casually.

Jess nodded. He was starting to get used to Lorelai. He liked how she listened, but was a part of the conversation at the same time. It felt comforting to him. He felt that he could really vent to these Gilmore girls; that they could help him and support him and really try their hardest to understand him.

"Hey, Jess?" Rory spoke up.

"What?" He looked over at her.

"Can I ask you something?" Her eyes were downcast. Jess very gently pulled her face upward so that she was looking at him.

'God, she has the most beautiful eyes in the world,' he thought to himself.

"Ask away."

"Did any of your mom's 'boyfriends' ever...hurt you?"

Lorelai sat up straighter at this. That thought hadn't even crossed her mind. She really felt for Jess. He had a good side once you got to know him, just like Rory had told her.

'The only reason he's been difficult to deal with was probably because of his upbringing. The kid's been through a hell of a lot for a 17 year old.' Lorelai thought to herself as she waited for Jess to answer.

Jess sighed, "Yeah. Some of them weren't that nice."

"What did they do to you?" Rory asked while gently stroking his hand with her thumb. He squeezed her hand in thanks.

"I don't know. Just...stuff. The ones that came home drunk were the worst. They would, you know, punch me or hit me. Give me a black eye or two. Put out a cigarette on my arm. It got worse as I got older. They'd taunt me, and I would try to fight back, but somehow they were always stronger. One of them broke my arm in 3 places once. That was a doozy. So, nothing really drastic. Just drastic enough. That's what it always was. Just drastic enough."

Rory was practically in tears. She couldn't even respond. So, Lorelai jumped in.

"Jess, I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine how awful that must have been for you. Did Liz ever do anything about it?"

"Nah, she was always too busy doing God knows what. I was surprised if she even dropped by the hospital to visit me whenever I was holed up there."

"That's so awful. So she neglected you?"

"Basically."

"And Luke wants to send you back to that?"

"Apparently. Look, if he finds out where I am, he's going to drag me to a bus station, and you know now how badly I don't want that to happen. So can you back me up if he starts to blow a gasket?"

"Of course. I'm not letting you go back there. You don't deserve that sort of treatment anymore. You never deserved it in the first place, but you know what I mean. Me and Rory are going to support you. We've always been able to change Luke's mind. Whatever happens, the end result is _not_ going to be you going back to New York."

Jess could have hugged Lorelai right then, but he refrained. It honestly would've been a bit awkward, but he would've meant well.

Just then, a gruff knock came from the Gilmore's front door.

"Three guesses as to who that is," Jess said dreadfully.

"Don't worry. Just stay here with Rory. I'll get it," Lorelai replied.

She walked to the door, took a deep breath, and braced herself for the coming explosion.

****Thank you all so much for reading my story. And please continue to review.****


	8. Chapter 8

"Stay"

Chapter 8

****I am so so SO sorry for not updating this story. Dont' worry, I didn't abandon it. I lost motivation for a while and school has been crazy. Then, add in all other life dramas and you come to the conclusion that I had no time for this story. Don't be mad at me, lovely reviewers! I did not do this on purpose, I assure you. Please enjoy this chapter and be reassured that there is more to come. Thanks!****

Luke didn't even wait for the door to open all the way. He rushed in to Lorelai's house, fuming. Smoke was practically pouring out of his ears.

"Jess!"

"Luke, wait!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"He's here. I know he's here. Where the hell else would he be?"

"Luke stop! I know you're mad, but please just give the kid a break, would you?"

"Why should I? He never listens to me. He never gives _me_ a break. This is the last straw. He's out of here! Jess, dammit!"

Luke stomped his way to Rory's room. He saw Jess and Rory, sitting next to each other, a look of fear in Rory's eyes. She held on to Jess's hand for dear life. Luke shoved his finger in Jess's face, making him flinch in the process.

"You. You're coming back to the apartment with me. I've taken the liberty of packing your necessities myself. They are in the truck already. Now me and you are going to get into the aforementioned truck, and I will drive you to the bus station. I will see to it that you get on a bus back to New York. I have called your mother to inform her of your return, and she is looking forward to seeing you. Let's go."

"Luke-," Jess began.

"_Now_," Luke emphasized.

Jess made no move that signaled he was going to follow Luke's orders. This only made Luke more angry. He strode over to Jess, and lifted him up by the collar of his shirt.

"You think you're a tough guy, huh? You think you can stand up to me? No. Wrong. I have the higher ground here."

"Luke! Please stop! Let go of him!" Rory exclaimed. She started pulling on Luke's arm, trying to get him to loosen his grip on Jess. She started to cry hot tears of frustration, and began hitting Luke anwhere she could reach. Lorelai hurried over to Rory and tried to calm her down.

"Honey, relax. Let me handle it." She gently set Rory down on the bed and went to work at trying to free Jess from Luke's grasp. He was holding on tight though.

"Jeez Luke, let the kid go." Lorelai urged.

"No. Way." Luke replied gruffly.

"God, why?" Lorelai demanded.

"I already told you why. He's been taking advantage of me since he got here, and now it's my turn."

"Luke! If you send Jess back, Liz and her various idiot boyfriends will force him to come back. It's not safe there."

"What do you mean, 'force him to come back?'"

"Jess has just informed me and Rory of some really disturbing news. Liz's boyfriends have beat him, tortured him. She's always high or drunk or both. He's been left to do everything alone his entire life. Does that sound like a safe environment to you? Huh, does it?" Lorelai was on the verge of tears with frustration.

Luke tried to defend himself by saying, "She told me she was better!"

"You believed that load of crap?" Jess interjected.

"Well..."

"If she was getting better, why the hell would she have sent me here? She may have told you she was getting better and needed time to rediscover herself, so I had to get off her hands, but none of that was true. She doesn't care about me! I'm a nuisance. I am _nothing_ to her. Now do me a favor, and let _go _of me."

With that, Jess reached behind him and pried Luke's fingers off of his shirt collar. He then moved swiftly towards Rory, who sat cowering on the bed. They immediately took comfort in each other's arms.

"I was always nothing to her." Jess whispered into Rory's shoulder.

"That's not true. You're her son." Rory whispered back.

"Like that makes a difference."

"It should. I'm sure she loves you and cares about you."

"How are you so sure?"

"She cared enough to send you to Luke's, didn't she?"

"I guess. I don't want to talk anymore."

"Ok. Just reassure me of one thing first."

"What?"

"Please stay."

"I promise."

They continued to hold each other, while Luke and Lorelai went into the kitchen to talk. Lorelai decided to start the conversation.

"Jess implied that you knew of how he was being treated."

"She always brushed it off as if it were nothing. I knew it was more than that though."

"Why didn't you do anything?"

"I...don't know. I just kinda refused to believe it. I couldn't imagine all that happening to him, so I just kinda pushed it to the back of my mind."

"He's your nephew. You didn't even try to help him-"

"No, wait."

"-until Liz forced him on you."

"I didn't know what to do. Liz never listened to me, not from when we were kids. She never listened to anyone. So, I just learned that her space was indeed _her_ space. And if I tried to intrude, she would freak out. So, I learned to back off."

"And I guess you backed off a little too much."

"What does that mean?"

"You're going on and on about how _Liz_ needed her own space. _Liz_ never listened to you. _Liz _always freaked out."

"Your point being..."

"That Liz is Liz and Jess is Jess. They are two different people. Jess is not Liz. Jess probably needed you all his life and he didn't even know it."

"So you're saying that by me avoiding Liz, I avoided Jess as well?"

"Yeah." Lorelai sat back in her chair and crossed her arms, content that she had gotten her point across.

"I'm a bad uncle."

"No you're not. Oblivious maybe, but flat-out bad, never."

"I guess. I just don't want to talk anymore."

"Ok. Just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Make him stay here."

"I don't know if I can promise that..."

"Luke."

"Ok."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."


End file.
